Welcome to Two Weeks Notice, a biweekly sports column that predicts games roughly two weeks in advance through a satirically analytical lens.
Next Saturday, USC football will have its most challenging matchup yet in enemy territory against the Illinois Fighting Illini. With an expected win against Michigan State this upcoming weekend, USC should carry high spirits into its second away game. Nonetheless, it will take brute offensive force and a focused defense to successfully defeat the No. 9 team in the AP Top 25.
Illinois has gone 3-0 in their season so far, defeating Western Illinois, Duke and Western Michigan in the past three weeks. Their strong offense is led by senior quarterback Luke Altmyer, who has thrown 709 yards and eight touchdown passes this season. Junior Kaden Feagin and sophomore Ca’Lil Valentine anchor the backfield, recording 380 yards on the ground so far. Senior wide receiver Hank Beatty and junior receiver Justin Bowick have been dominating the offense, combining for 375 receiving yards this season.
Junior linebacker Malachi Hood orchestrates the defense alongside defensive backs senior Miles Scott and sophomore Tanner Heckel. Hood and Scott each have 14 tackles on the season, and Heckel recorded an interception against Duke. The Fighting Illini play against the Indiana Hoosiers this weekend in a Big Ten showdown that will potentially influence the future playoff order as well as Illinois’ matchup against USC.
USC’s offense is decorated with promising players. Redshirt junior quarterback Jayden Maiava, alongside the wide receiver power couple in juniors Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, have led the Trojans to victory with 989 passing yards for Maiava and 550 receiving yards between the pair.
The past three Trojan victories are heavily attributed to the team’s offense (picture Lane’s one-handed touchdown grab against Georgia Southern), but it’s USC’s defense that will determine its future success. Just last week, redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Jamaal Jarrett ran in a 70-yard interception return that may earn him the defensive highlight of the year; it was coined a “Thicc Six” due to his 6-foot-5, 360 pound frame. Eric Gentry, USC’s star redshirt senior linebacker, heads the front seven on defense with 21 solo tackles and three sacks, impressive numbers compared to those of the Illini defense.
Nonetheless, the Trojans’ defensive unit has been giving up too many big plays as well, as 22 penalties have resulted in 241 yards for opponents. Still, they’re expected to earn a home victory this weekend, which will hopefully drive them to strengthen their forces against Altmyer and his posse next Saturday at Illinois.
Illinois may have home-field advantage at Gies Memorial Stadium, but expect their student section to be a little flat, as they can only drink so many beers before 11 a.m. On the other hand, USC fans will be watching in air-conditioned apartments rather than enduring the LA heat, with viewership hopefully seeing higher numbers than game attendance. Morale needs to skyrocket against Illinois. Despite Head Coach Lincoln Riley’s statement that USC will “bring the juice for four quarters,” the reality is they are no longer a strong second-half team. The Trojan Family will have to hope that the head coach keeps his promises and his head on straight from beginning to end.
USC’s defense may have its work cut out for them next weekend, but it will be an exciting game that will set the standard for future challenging opponents. If the Trojans can pull off this win, they may just prove themselves worthy of their AP ranking and gather enough attention to fully pay off their newly built practice facilities. Make sure to catch this thrilling Big Ten clash at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27th on FOX.